Demolition of Watuppa Heights begins; new homes to be built

Niagara neighborhood residents John and Donna Hollenback walked around the ruins of the former Watuppa Heights housing development as an excavator crawled onto the site to begin demolishing one of the buildings.

I came here to see it with my own eyes, John Hollenback said.

This has been a vacant eyesore. Its time to have it gone, Donna Hollenback said. Attempts to close down the now decrepit complex of 28 buildings on 10 acres built in 1952 to house World War II veterans and their families started in the 1970s. The last family moved out in 2011.

Since then, the Fall River Housing Authority has been working with the state Department Housing and Community Development to raze the property and plan to have it redeveloped to provide low- and moderate-income housing.

The demolition officially started Wednesday, with a gathering of local and state leaders and a handful of curious neighbors.

For Dino Bissaro, of the Niagara Neighborhood Association, the day was a long time coming. Look at it. How would anyone feel looking at this every day for the last 20 years? said Bissaro, pointing to the boarded up buildings, some of them scarred from fires. Im a doubting Thomas, but I can believe it now, Bissaro said.

Over the years, the development has been a source of crime, drugs and arson. Fall River police Lt. Paul Bernier took a survey of the overgrown and blighted grounds before demolition began.

The veteran police officer has a long professional history with the housing project, having served there as a Community Service Officer in 1976. Through the years, hes responded to many calls there.

Now, as the police departments fire investigator, Bernier has worked arson cases as recently as last winter.

Bernier agreed Watuppa Heights was a danger to the neighborhood. Just weeks ago, police made arrests when people were caught stealing copper piping from one of the structures, he said.

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Demolition of Watuppa Heights begins; new homes to be built